Clock Chimes

Chapter Six

Regina huffs playfully, sipping at her own drink. "Well, clearly I've lost this battle."

Henry snorts a laugh before turning to face her with a serious expression on his face. "Mom. Are you...ready? Are you sure?"

Regina falters a bit, stepping back to take in her son. In the middle of his growth spurt, long floppy brown hair, stick-thin and gangly with too-large feet and hands. He's so, so young, yet so concerned with his mother and will take her side no matter which one she chooses. She loves him.

Still, concern laces her voice as she wraps her hands around warm ceramic. "Henry, where is this coming from?"

He shrugs almost self consciously, crossing his thin arms across his baggy tee shirt. "I dunno, I just want to make sure you're happy. I love you, and I love Ma, and I just--" he breaks off, searching for the words, careful to avoid Regina's gaze. "I want to make sure that it's all...real."

Regina steps closer, collecting her son in her arms and pressing him against her chest. "Like it's too good to be true? I get that. I feel like that sometimes too--remember how your grandpa said that 'villains don't get happy endings'? I've never forgotten it. But I'm choosing happiness, Henry, and I am happy. I am so happy."

Henry just hugs her tighter, his fingers curling into the back of her robe. Her eyes flutter shut, wondering how she ever got so lucky with her little family.

It's the sound of footsteps and a gentle rap on the wood of the doorway of her kitchen that causes her to turn and return to the present. The vivid image of a teenaged Henry slowly melts away to focus on the solid, real version of her son in front of her. This one is a twenty-five-year-old man, freshly showered, and smiling softly on his own wedding day. Regina feels her heart clench as he removes his fist from the wall and moves into the room to pour himself a cup of coffee. The similarities of this day to the one she'd been remembering are almost too strong, and she places her mug down on the counter without taking a sip, her stomach suddenly in knots.

Henry places the pot back in the coffee maker, and Regina watches the muscles in his bare arm ripple with the movement. His battle with drug addiction earlier this year as well as the last had thinned and weakened him; and since he'd mostly recovered, he'd taken up strength training to regain what he'd lost, and then some. Regina can still remember his bony wrists and and tiny waist and the skin stretched far too tight across his gaunt facial features. Now, the man in front of her fixing himself a cup of coffee has a broad back, rounded shoulders and visible biceps, and when he turns to face her, she sees a healthy, handsome face with sharp cheekbones and a thick, defined jawline, and her heart soars.

"Good morning," he greets her, voice still gravelly and deeper from sleep.

She shoots him a shaky smile before hiding her face behind her coffee mug. Her brow furrows slightly when lukewarm liquid soaks her tongue.

Henry chuckles roughly and sets his mug down, stepping towards her to start rubbing her shoulders. "Okay, I know that look. What's wrong?"

Regina lets out a breath when he works out a particularly tight knot. "Nothing. It's your wedding day. It's the happiest day of your life," she tells him with a smile that's only a little sad as she looks up at him and caresses the side of his face. The skin of his jaw is rough beneath her fingers, and she rubs her thumb lightly across his pretty features.

He closes his eyes and shakes his head as he pulls her against his chest, rubbing his palm comfortingly against the back of her head. She sinks into him, allowing a few tears to fall and absorb into the soft fabric of his tank top. She feels him take a shuddering breath and rub her back gently. Finally, he speaks.